[Infection and systemic lupus erythematosus: analysis of a series of 145 patients]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SEL) is a chronic inflammatory disease, which often requires corticosteroid treatment, being infection a common cause of both morbidity and mortality. We report the infectious episodes from 145 SLE patients revisited through 1975-1991, with a 6.8 years mean follow-up period. The relationship between each episode and several variables, especially corticosteroid treatment a month before the infectious episode, was analyzed. Forty two infections were diagnosed in 32 patients (22.06%). A significant increase in the number of infections among SLE patients with daily corticosteroids treatment was observed with respect to that of SLE patients with alternate day treatment (p < 0.001). The administration corticosteroids in alternate day form, if possible, can decrease the infection incidence in SLE patients.